


Sea Foam

by fangirls5ever



Category: Voltron - Fandom, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe- Mermaids, F/M, Gen, Human/Altean!Allura, and the two become childhood friends, elements from The Little Mermaid, in which Lotor is not crazy, mermaid!Lotor, might stay as a oneshot, when you don't want to make up a magic language so you just copy and paste words in Greek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 18:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14983415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirls5ever/pseuds/fangirls5ever
Summary: There was a time when the sea sought to swallow all the earth, and those that walked it.---Lotura mermaid au





	Sea Foam

There was a time when the sea sought to swallow all the earth, and those that walked it—when a simple song could give rise to storm winds and clever hands skin to sleek black scales. Magic thrived on both land and in sea, its many languages a coveted secret between the earth's two races.

To those who walked the land, magic taught them to speak fire and bend the earth to their will, allowing sprawling cities built on mountains of their own creation, fires undying as they burned high on the cliffs.

To those who kept to the sea, magic whispered the language of wind and rain, storm clouds and waves rising dark and forbidding with only the snatch of a melody, a whisper of song. Magic at hand, the sea's people warded away those of the land from their ocean, sang storms into being and rose waves of water that tore villages from the earth and into the sea. Fields were swept clean with the soft hum of a lullaby, humans drowned by a swift undertow with only one high note of laughter.

The sea was a force caged only by the lands that rose above it, prison walls built of sand and earth and stone. And those of the land raised these walls ever higher with their knowledge of the earth, twisting the soil into columns and cliffs and mountains, raising the cage bars ever farther above the ocean, and sealing off the hungry waves that sought to pull them to sea.

The sea and its children could not reach them behind their walls, could not drown the earth in ocean or even the people that walked upon it.

So, with magic and wit, those of the land trapped the sea behind its walls, pushing it back slowly with a cage of flame-seared earth and stone, seeming to silence the hungry creatures that swam along the edges, a strand of black hair or the edge of a violet fin the only sign of the sea peoples' presence.

Gone was the imminent danger, and with it, the caution that had kept the mud and stone walls so carefully maintained, each flaw and divot sealed with smooth earth—guards still walked the walls, but looked out upon the waves with a sort of complacency and satisfaction that only assured success brings. When they watched the waves, they did not see the deep black of the waters, its ever-changing tempers, and ill-kept fury—they saw a creature tamed by the sheer strength of their empires, an ancient beast bowing its head to the skill of their magic and quickness of their minds, ears flat and deep voice reduced to a whimper.

They thought it broken, tame, a monument to their strength.

They could not see it for what it truly was, could not see the savage, cruel beauty in its motions, in the way it tore at the earth as though sinking in long, hooked claws, the rush of the waves a frenzied howl as they crashed against the stone and sand.

They looked out on the ocean as they stood their watch, took in its power and fury and the presence of its children—but they were too proud to try and understand what they saw.

They could not see that it would be their undoing.

\---

Princess Allura of Altea knew she wasn't allowed to enter the sea caves, and it was precisely for this reason that, after slipping free of her overly-dedicated tutor and bodyguard, she made her way to them through the palace catacombs. Nestled just beneath the thick stone walls, the sea caves had long since been sealed off from the ocean, pools of once clear water grown stagnant with slick algae and the lingering corpses of marine life. Three pools lay about the edges of a large, circular one, stalactites and stalagmites forming a gaping maw about the gray-green water. 

Picking her way about the pool's edge, Allura gripped her dress in one hand and a glowstone in the other, pale blue light washing over the black and gray lava stone as she moved towards the back of the cave. The smooth, rock, though slick with seawater, curved easily to match her footsteps as she hummed, bending the earth with a focus that didn't match her age of only seven years. But the princess was nothing if not proficient in her studies, both fascination and talent lending themselves to create a natural use of magic beyond what should have been possible for her age, as not only could she create it in small ways, she could control it.

Allura reached one hand out to grasp the wall as she slowed to a stop at the back of the cave, fingers pressing into the rough stone and pushing it back as though it were little more than wet clay, forming an indent the size of her fist. Giving a satisfied nod at her work, Allura raised the glowstone with the other hand, setting it lightly into the hollow, the aquamarine stone bathing the walls and pool in pale blue light. A quick glance about the ground revealed a treacherous, craggy surface, and, crouching down on her knees, Allura smoothed a hand across the jagged stone, palm grazing the sharp edges and forcing them down to an even surface reminiscent of the walls that caged the sea. With the surface smoothed, Allura leaned back on her heels, clasping her hands together and taking in a deep breath, murmuring, "It's fine, it's fine, you've done this countless times before, and this time, there's no curtains to worry about—nothing breakable here."

Taking a deep breath, Allura closed her eyes, palms tilted slightly upwards as they moved to face each other, as though cupping something between them. "πυρρά," she breathed, and sparks flared to life from her lips, a curl of red-orange flame breathed out with the word tumbling into her hands. Small and sinuous, it curled about her fingers like a curious feline as she slowly opened her eyes, rose shades in them glowing scarlet as they reflected the firelight.

"Hello," she said, and the flame flickered in answer, slipping from her fingertips to curl in her palm. Raising it higher to meet her eyes, she asked, "I don't suppose you could stretch longer, could you?" The flame swayed to the side, and Allura sighed, the breath making the fire flicker. "The dancers at the Sun Festival always have such long ribbons..." Frowning, she cradled the flame a little closer, leaning in as though to share a secret. "Can you at least dry the rocks? They're too damp to sit on."

The flame swayed again in answer, colors dimming as though disappointed at its own lack of use.

Biting her lip, Allura's brow furrowed as she curled her fingers in tighter over the small flame, seeing how it leaned in at her touch. "Can you make sparks?" she asked at last, having found perhaps the simplest fire magic possible for the flame cupped in her hands. "I've always loved the fairy lights the maids make for me at night."

Eager to please, the fire jumped higher, blazing a cheery yellow-orange as it leaned in closer to catch her breath as she commanded, "πυγολαμπίδες." _Fireflies._

Scattering about the caves with a crackle, flecks of red and orange flame darted about the room, manic at first, before Allura clapped her hands and they slowed, attentive. "Perfect," she said, voice echoing about the cave, and the fire burned crimson, preening at her praise before softening again to a hazy orange as the sparks began to drift about the cavern.

With light, a smooth rock to sit on by the water, and the fascination of her own magic, Allura had no intentions of leaving the caverns soon. Her guard and teacher could search for her to their hearts' content—as long as she stayed within the caverns, they would never find her.

Settling back onto the damp ground with a grimace, Allura again cupped her hands before her, taking in a deep breath. "πυρρά."

\---

If there was one thing the Alteans had yet to learn about the sea, it was this: it could be patient and bide its time. The sea caves may once have been cut off from the ocean, but years of crashing waves and the scrape of obsidian claws had worn the rock down enough for cracks to reach the other side. With just a bit more dedication and a few words of storm magic, an opening, albeit one quite small, could be formed.

And the Sea Prince was nothing if not patient.

"Come on now," he murmured, fingers lodged in the cracks and straining as he kicked backwards. The stone was frustratingly still beneath his fingers, showing few signs of giving in so easily. Grimacing, the prince eased his hold, pushing back with his hands to float only a few paces from the wall. "Stubborn," he muttered, yellow, serpentine eyes narrowing to slits. "Magic it is, then."

With a quick, cautious glance above the surface to check for nearby guards, the prince aligned himself directly across from the cracked stone wall, folding his hands before him and pressing them to his chest, one deep breath following another.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled sharply, water at his fingertips swirling expectantly.

And throwing his head back, he _screamed_.

\---

The firefly lights flicker out as Allura clapped her hands over her ears, wincing at the shrill, positively maddening sound echoing through the cavern. Curling in on herself, she pressed her head to her knees, hating how the sound seems to grow louder and louder, reaching a note impossibly high that makes her ears feel as though they're bleeding, but it never stopped, going on and on and on—

With one last deafening shriek, the stone walls rumbled, shifting as rocks from underneath the waterline sank to the bottom of the stagnant pool, stirring up clouds of sand and silt.

Allura waited a moment longer, certain the wailing would continue the very second she uncovered her ears, but when no such painful sounds become apparent, she lowered her hands cautiously, casting skeptical glances about the cavern as though to reveal the source of such a hideous noise. No one could have entered from the land entrance without her knowledge—the sea caves, though reasonably deep, were not at all wide, their pathways made most comfortably for a child. No, if anyone was to enter the cave while escaping her notice, it would have to be by...

Turning slowly in her seat, Allura fixed the main pool with a skeptical gaze, eyes scanning for even the slightest flicker of movement. However, much to her relief, the pools were mercifully still, with not even fish to disturb the stagnant water.

Satisfied, Allura turned again to the side, cupping her hands together and breathing a soft, "πυρρά," when something black flitted through the corner of her vision, followed by a flash of ivory caught in the firelight.

Allura stiffened, curl of flame in her hands all but forgotten as she cautiously turned her head again to the pool—

—only to meet a pair of gleaming yellow eyes mere inches away from her own.

\---

Resting against the edge of the pool, a creature with yellow, black-filled eyes and lavender skin met her gaze her with a wide stare. Matte black claws tipped the hand resting out of the water, curling out as though to strike as the creature shoved back into the water, breathing in sharply in a way that warned of magic. When it opened its mouth in a high-pitched shriek (so _that_ was the source of the noise) Allura jumped, hands clapping to cover her ears even as she felt her pulse quicken at the sight of the creature's fangs.

Oh stars, _it was going to eat her._

Slamming the heel of her boot into the ground, Allura willed the earth beneath it to move, bend, form a barrier, no matter how small, between her and the monster that cradled what appeared to be a hurricane in miniature between its fingers, shrieks lowered to a growl that made the water about it spin, curl, raise higher and higher—

Screaming a battle cry, Allura reached down to grab the rock she had carved out of the cavern floor, reeling back and pitching it straight at the monster's head. The stone instead hits its shoulder with a sickening thud, sending the creature reeling as its voice cuts off abruptly, hurricane spinning from its hands to whirl uselessly about the pool. Another stomp brought a second rock into Allura's hand, blue eyes practically burning as she leveled it at the creature like a blade. "Back," she commanded, proud at how her voice kept steady.

The creature blinked at her from where it clutched at its shoulder, yellow eyes big and glossy, lips parted and fangs gleaming.

When it showed no obvious intentions of moving, Allura hissed, " _Now_."

Casting her what seemed to be a petulant look, the creature ducked beneath the surface, long white hair drifting along in a hazy cloud as it swam over to the far edge of the pool. There, its arms reached over the waterline to pull itself onto the slick stone floor, revealing a long, ebony tail with smatterings of silver scales reminiscent of the koi fish Allura's mother kept.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Allura tilted her chin up, confident. She was in control of the situation—she was the one in power now. Bolstered by this thought, Allura crossed her arms, rock still in hand. "First things first," she said loftily, watching as the creature's yellow gaze again fixed on her. "What's your name?"

The creature tilted its head the slightest, blinking large yellow eyes and chirping, the sound ending in a high trill.

And they didn't even speak the same language. Great.

Grimacing, Allura slowly lowered the rock to the ground, hyper aware of how the creature's gaze sharpened, zeroed in on the stone as it dropped slowly lower. The creature visibly relaxed when the stone hit the ground with a thud, sinuous tail flicking once, twice, as it pulled itself more securely up onto the rocks.

Slowly straightening again, the princess pressed one hand to her chest, saying, "Allura."

The creature cocked its head to the side, slitted eyes widening just a fraction in curiosity.

"Allura," she repeated, and the creature was silent for a long moment, brow furrowing as its mouth opened, closed, and repeated once more before the creature fell still.

Finally, looking almost pained, the creature made a soft whistling noise, eyes quickly flitting to her, glowing bright, as though waiting for her approval.

Allura stared, openly gaping. "Was that..." She paused, licked her lips. "Was that my _name_?"

The creature blinked, bright eyes dimming just a fraction as it made a softer chirping noise, tail fin slapping the cave floor.

"No, no," Allura said quickly, holding up a hand. "That was good," she assured it, and the creature made a soft noise that might have been shy, had it not been for the way two scales along its cheeks had begun to glow. Raising a brow at the display, Allura dismissed her line of questioning in favor of asking, "And you?"

The creature paused in its gloating to meet her gaze again, falling silent with a strange sort of intensity, waiting for her to speak.

"Name?" Allura asked, pointing to it.

The creature blinked once, twice, before giving a high trill, the sound dropping down like a glissando along piano keys.

Allura stared, nose wrinkling. "I can't say that," she informed it, crossing her arms and settling again on the ground. At this point, if the creature wanted to eat her, she was fairly certain it would have already tried. And now that she'd seen it out of water, well... the creature was hardly terrifying with its glowing cheeks, feline eyes, and twitchy tail, the end of it flicking back and forth like a cat's.

The thought that she had tried to brain it with a rock almost made her feel bad at that point.

Stars, why had she ever thought visiting the caves was a good idea?

"If I can't say that," she muttered to herself, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them, "then what should I call you?"

The creature flicked its tail in response, staring in fascination at how her legs had folded so neatly to her chest. Allura watched back closely, mind filing away details as she searched for an appropriate address.

Yellow eyes, black-and-silver scales, sharp claws, ivory fangs, pale lavender skin...

That was nothing at all like the book characters she had read about—even the fantasy books she had read had failed to describe a purple child.

Pressing her lips in a thin line, she frowned, hugging her knees tighter to her chest. "Then I'll just have to make up a name for you," she declared grandly, nodding approval at her own plan as the creature clicked its nails against the stone. "First letter than—ahh... well..." Her brow furrowed again, and she huffed, saying, "Then I'll just take it from my name. We can't have the same starting letter of course, so we'll just have to choose the second one!"

She glanced over to the creature for approval, but was met by a blank stare, the creature appearing horribly overwhelmed as its flicked to the relative safety and escape of the pool.

Change of plans, she needed to make this fast. "Okay, L—and then... ah, a vowel! O, because... because I said so. Perfect. And then T, of course, because my etiquette teacher never stops talking about 'our lot in life,' and what it means to be royal." Allura accompanied this with an eye roll, noting with a quick glance that the fish creature had indeed begun edging itself into the pool as subtly as it could manage, fin giving an alarmed little flap when it noticed her gaze.

"So we could add 'Andre' to the end, or... or..."

The creature slipped fully into the pool, white hair drifting in the water as it swam to the far wall of the cavern, surfacing once more to turn and face her.

It was now or never—how was she supposed to see the creature again if she couldn't even call to it?

"Or..." Her eyes lit up, and she fairly shouted, "Lotor!" 

The creature startled, but gazed at her with wide eyes, successfully distracted from its escape.

Pointing at the creature, Allura said again, "Lotor—that's what I'll call you." Pressing a hand to her chest, she said, "Allura." She gestured to him again. "Lotor."

The creature considered the title for a moment, hands smoothing over the water's surface, before it nodded, apparently satisfied.

Allura could feel herself grinning, trying her best to bite back her smile as the creature again turned to face the wall, head dipping below the water as she called, "See you again, Lotor!"

\---

**Author's Note:**

> I want to write more for this story, but just in case I lose motivation, I'm going to leave it marked as finished :D Season 6 kind of wrecked me, but writing this actually did make me feel a little better—the fact that the Lotura fandom is still alive and posting makes me honestly so happy, I was so worried the new season was going to annihilate us :')
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the new story—comments/reviews always make me so happy, and I message back on each one. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! ^^
> 
> Tumblr @lotura-fics


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